Caesar neumann



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAESAR NEUMANN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SKELETON SKIRT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 25,136, dated August 16, 18519; Reissued August 30, 1864.-, No. 1,7515.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAESAR NEUMANN, of New York, in New York county and the State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Skirt. for the Use of Ladies; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure I, is a View of my improved skirt; A A A A, showing a series of horizontal hoops; B, B, two hinged or jointed supporters for the same; C, C, clasps for securing the hoops in front; E, E, E, a. series of tapes and D, a. metallic slide. Fig. II, a view of the jointed or hinged supporter for the hoops used, by which the skirt may be readily reduced in size or enlarged, this view showing the same when the skirt is in use, A, A, A, A showing the hoops-B, B the hinged or jointed supporters for the same. Fig. III, a view of the same when the skirt. is reduced in size. Fig. IV, a view of the metallic connecting piece, connecting one portion of the hinged supporter with the other portion of the same. Fig. V, a view of that portion of the hinged hoop supporter, through which the hoop (A) is passed and which forms a joint or hinge for the hoop supporter. Fig. VI, shows the clasp employed for fastening the hoops in front and holding them, when fastened, and also for allowing the same to be unfastened and t-he whole front. portion of the skirt to be made open when desired. Fig. VII, a view showing the manner in which the skirt may be increased or diminished in size by the operation of the metallic slide D-A, showing the hoop, C the clasp, D, the metallic slide.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The hoops A, A, A, A (Fig. I) are supported in any of the known ways, that shall be most advisable, but instead of being endless or jointed together by any of the ordinary clasps or slides, their ends are unconnected in front, except as hereinafter de; scribed. The front end of each of the series of hoops are joined to that next to it, either above or below, by means of What I term jointed hoop supporters (B, B Fig. I). These consist of short pieces of metal so jointed to the hoops, that they can be folded and at the ends of each hoop there are 'two such pieces; these are jointed together by means of a rivet running through both and through a small cap (shown as detached at Fig. IV) which forms what is commonly known as an elbow joint and can only be folded one way. The jointl at the hoops is similar and is effected by the clasp that unites the parts (see Fig. V). The series of jointed metallic connections being thus formed (see Figs. I and II) give a firmness and stability to the front ends of the hoops necessary in making them open in front as above shown, while they permit the skirt to be gathered up like the ordinary one.

In some instances the wearer of these skirts may desire to fasten some or all of the hoops in front. For this purpose I provide the hook clasp as shown in Fig. VI. In addition to these clasps I employ extension pieces as seen in Figs. I and VII. This is effected by connecting with each end of the several hoops, a piece of hoop, provided with the ordinary metallic slide and sliding on the hoop proper A. The ends of these slide pieces are then jointed at will by the wearer and an extension skirt is thus formed, while they can be readily disunited and not interfere with the skirt open in front.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

I claim the combination of the jointed or hinged hoop supporters and a series of horizontal hoops, when arranged and operated in the manner described and for the purpose set forth.

CAESAR NEUMANN. Witnesses: 4

ALBERT WHEELER, A. SIDNEY DoANE. 

